Cobra Starship/All Time Low

Sunday 18^th May

Support: Broadway Calls

London Astoria 2

 

Tonight, the London Astoria is a mass of crazed teeny boppers, kitted out in rainbow colours, Claire’s Accessories and studded belts prepped to catch the finest US pop-punk currently on offer.

Opening proceedings are Broadway Calls; Green Day protégés signed to Billy Joe Armstrong’s label Adeline Records. The uncomfortable trio are a little basement band. With weak vocals and the stage presence of a bag of crisps; Broadway Calls are all too easily forgettable and are no match for the high expectations of the young, cynical crowd. The three should maybe stick to Sunday afternoon garage practices and forget their idle dreams of rock stardom.

Strutting his stuff in his signature purple hoody, Gabe Saporta and his Cobra friends take to the stage for a large dose of cheesy electro-guilt-pop-punk. It took a while for the front man to get his groove, but a few songs in and after a fantastic audience response the band camp it up and Smile for the Paparazzi.

Shaking their hips to the top tracks on their latest album offering, Cobra Starship litter the stage with bright colours and sexy grooves. The crowd unashamedly party along to the sexy set, and the bands new found Brit success is clear.

Musically they are a little weak, and the front man’s vocals are shaky. In this instance though, none of that matters. Cobra Starship are not about harmonic perfection, but rather the pleasure that comes with trashy synths, scandal and New York slang.

After a brisk set change the light lowers and a cinematic fanfare echoes up above. A deep, gruff American voice warns of swearing and naughtiness; sending the now built up crowd into a complete frenzy. Squeezing their style, skinnies and hi-top dunks onto the small stage; All Time Low bounce into view.

The four bundles of energy don’t stop moving from beginning to end. Their eyes lighting up at the sight of the full house in front of them, with broad smiles that never fade. Colourful, bright, and pop punk-tastic; All Time Low’s catchy lyrics, cheeky grins and animated movements make for an unforgettably lively performance.

This band may not be particularly cool, and you may want to keep your love of them a secret from your hardcore friends. But, tonight guilty pleasures are abandoned and All Time Low’s infectious excitement grabs hold of every single audience member, stirring them wild with preppy cheer and leaves the entire venue in a frenzied bubble of animated commotion.